Danny Welbeck Deserves His PFA Young Player Nomination

Despite some fine performances this season it would be fair to say that Danny Welbeck’s inclusion as one of six nominees’s for the PFA Young Player award has certainly raised a few eyebrows.

Many fans and pundits have been surprised to see Danny included as the forward has only scored once in the Premier League this season and hasn’t started anywhere near the same amount of games that the other nominees – excluding Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere – have.

Yes it would be fair to say that Danny could and should have scored more club goals this season. That’s a fact. However due to the arrival of Robin van Persie and the return-to-form of Javier Hernandez, Danny has seen his time up front restricted this season. But for that he would have played more minutes up-front and taking his performances last season into account would have scored more goals.

However there’s far more than goals to Danny’s game. He isn’t a striker per say and is a forward attacking player. He’s strong and will only get stronger. He’s an intelligent player and is far more creative and skilful than the casual fan realise. He works incredibly hard for the team and going forward can be unstoppable especially when running with the ball.

A large majority of his performances have come out-wide and when you stop and really think about some of those performances, it’s not really a surprise that his fellow professionals have taken notice and voted for him.

His performances at home to Liverpool and away to Spurs stand out this year domestically. Then you have to take into account his performance in the Bernabeau against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Defensively he was exceptional and he kept his discipline brilliantly. He scored once that night and but for a wonder save from Diego Lopez could have scored a second, a goal which could well have changed the overall-outcome of that epic last-16 tie.

Yes perhaps Welbeck hasn’t had as good a year as some young players who haven’t been nominated such as Manchester City’s Matija Nastasic or Southampton’s talented full-back Luke Shaw but he has played his part this year. If he has impressed enough of his fellow professionals to be nominated then who are we as fans to argue?